Canada
Capture 1: Wild things
Once upon a time in there was a land divided into wild things, tribal animals that danced in the forests, flew through the skies, and swam amongst the fish and through the fresh water oceans. This is the story of one of those spirits... A small naked child who had only recently taken human shapes and he was the guardian of the village, he was known as Kanata. The winters were harsh and the weather fickle where Kanata lived, but everything was happy and he would play with his neighbour spirits to the south, east, and west.
But as the spirit child grew he witnessed the harshness hidden in the hearts of the land and in the people living on it... as invaders from strange alien places came guarded by their own spirits Kanata refusing to take up his tiny tomahawk and bow in wraith, instead he shielded his village from the great Russ' storms and strange warriors with cold steel devoid of the warmth instead of once living bone, hide or wood. Until one day the strangers with the steel and ships headed with dragons left Kanata's home forever, never to return.
"Why are we doing this?" England sighed as they sailed up the side of a large coast "We should be spending more time in Europe not looking for a new continent." But suddenly England saw the spirit child Kanata. "Wait! Stop the ship!" England called to his crew. The crew dropped anchor and England led a shore party onto the wild lands. Kanata watched from a nearby bush as the strange spirit guardian and his friends searched for him. But these people were sickly and unable to find him even with the help of their guardian who kept offering a terrible gruel to his followers claiming it would make them well with its magic. Kanata being a kind spirit searched along the shore, taking care to keep hidden and collect the shoots of grass that grew there, taking this he gave it to his people and in turn they gave it to England's. With the crew well again England returned to Europe to tell tales of his discovery and with renewed promises of capturing the spirit child. But as England spoke France was already preparing an expedition to Kanata's home and he would bring treasures to trick the small nation into his folds.
Kanata looked out towards the freshwater oceans twirling the twin feathers in his hair. His people were content and any war was so far away and distant he felt happier than he'd ever felt since he could remember. But then he heard a rustle in the trees, quickly he dived into the waters and swam into the reeds. France walked through the woods carrying a great big sack but he was having trouble as the sack was almost too heavy for him and his blue cape kept getting caught in the bushes. Kanata noticed the exertions of the country and being a naive little country decided to help the stranger, but Kanata took one precaution, he left his bow and tomahawk in the reeds splitting himself in two encase anything happened to him, that would ensure the villages protection. His fears were warranted for as soon as Kanata came out of the water to help, a smirk crossed France's face. "May I help you?" Kanata asked shyly noting as France put down the bag. "Actually I think you can..." France opened the bag revealing a tantalising and brief view of very fine goodies "I've been looking for you, after all." Kanata took a step closer hoping to spy the candies and the fine blankets France had revealed "You have found me..." Kanata answered "What do you want from me?" France reached into his bag of goodies "I have brought many great treats and fine clothing for you." Kanata walked right up to the stranger forgetting in his excitement any wariness "For me?!?" Kanata exclaimed. France pulled a preserved apple sweet from his bag offering it "Of course for you... there is no one else here is there?" Kanata shook his head no and accepted the treat, and France spoke to him of many more fine things, all of which would be found across the great salt seas, a place Kanata desperately wished to go. Finally after the night and fallen and the Kanata in the reeds had swam away Kanata lay next to the fire his head in Frances lap, dreaming of fine things across the waves. "Tell me what is your name little one?" France asked kindly fiddling lovingly with Kanata's feathered and beaded hair. Kanata's eyes drifted half shut for he was tired "Kanata..." France's soothing voice washed over him as the fatherly country spoke "That is... an interesting name, but how do you feel about the name Arcadia?" Kanata started to rise but France hushed him back into almost semi-sleep "Acadia...?" the little village whimpered. "With a name like Acadia... you could come with me, to my house across the sea... you do want to come with me don't you?" Acadia nodded his little head yes. On the break of dawn little Acadia boarded the ship to Europe he looked back only once at a small naked wild thing before the strange child was blocked from his view by a blue cape.